What if we Discovered Alien Life

[Zathganastan]

Doubt that.

Why? If they are hostile, they will invade and most likely occupy earth for few decades. But latter, resistance movements will overthrow aliens and rob technology and go mad.

Then use the stolen Tech to go back to fighting each other, old haterads never die hard.

[Ratateague]

I don't doubt that there is alien life, only that it is as sentient, intelligent and advanced as we are. Hell, it could be algae for all we know.

[New East Ireland]

Doubt that.

Why? If they are hostile, they will invade and most likely occupy earth for few decades. But latter, resistance movements will overthrow aliens and rob technology and go mad.

Nah. We'd succumb to the alien overlords.

[Tim-Opolis]

It depends on the technology that the extraterrestrials have. If they can respond with a signal back then they are either at our stage of technology or further and it is at the stage where they are at a further technology level than us (primarily: speed of space transporation) then we might have some worry.

I personally believe that there are probably other sentient life forms out there but I have large doubts that we would actually confront in any way more than messages.

[New Alaxia]

I don't doubt that there is alien life, only that it is as sentient, intelligent and advanced as we are. Hell, it could be algae for all we know.

If it can send radio signals, it's obviously more advanced than algae.

[Ratateague]

I don't doubt that there is alien life, only that it is as sentient, intelligent and advanced as we are. Hell, it could be algae for all we know.

If it can send radio signals, it's obviously more advanced than algae.

Right, but that is very hypothetical.

[Cthag-antil]

Doubt that.

Why? If they are hostile, they will invade and most likely occupy earth for few decades. But latter, resistance movements will overthrow aliens and rob technology and go mad.

It would be a simple matter to exterminate 99.999% humans with viral biological weaponry...not one soldier would be required.

If aliens wanted us dead...we would be dead, resistance would be utterly futile...imagine landing on an island inhabited by a small village of stone age egalitarians, armed with an AK47 you would massacre them all without breaking a sweat.

At least some (possibly influential) aliens don't want us dead even if others do...otherwise we would be dead.

[Jordsindia]

We share the pony goodness to them...

[New Alaxia]

If it can send radio signals, it's obviously more advanced than algae.

Right, but that is very hypothetical.

Are you saying algae could take over the earth

[Ratateague]

...Yes. It already is

[Idealismania]

I just couldn't imagine a species that masters interstellar travel to be war like. I mean the cooperation within a species to develop the technology needed to travel those distances has to be so great I couldn't imagine an agressive or war-like species accomplishing it. Why do you think we've only been to the moon? And look how long we've been around.

[Zathganastan]

Why? If they are hostile, they will invade and most likely occupy earth for few decades. But latter, resistance movements will overthrow aliens and rob technology and go mad.

It would be a simple matter to exterminate 99.999% humans with viral biological weaponry...not one soldier would be required.

If aliens wanted us dead...we would be dead, resistance would be utterly futile...imagine landing on an island inhabited by a small village of stone age egalitarians, armed with an AK47 you would massacre them all without breaking a sweat.

At least some (possibly influential) aliens don't want us dead even if others do...otherwise we would be dead.

Well if we landed on another planet and saw the locals fighting each other most of the time with weapons strong enough to destroy the planet ten times over what would we do.Humanity has a lot of problems which would make it a good idea to destroy us.

[Zeth Rekia]

Doubt that.

Why? If they are hostile, they will invade and most likely occupy earth for few decades. But latter, resistance movements will overthrow aliens and rob technology and go mad.

Smart aliens don't let their livestock run around with guns, babe. They'd be sure to strip us of our intelligence... A few holes in the skull can do some real magic.

[Zathganastan]

I just couldn't imagine a species that masters interstellar travel to be war like. I mean the cooperation within a species to develop the technology needed to travel those distances has to be so great I couldn't imagine an agressive or war-like species accomplishing it. Why do you think we've only been to the moon? And look how long we've been around.

Because while we spent time figuring out way's to destroy our selves the alien races spent time fighting other alien's while working together in there home planet or system.

[Idealismania]

Why? If they are hostile, they will invade and most likely occupy earth for few decades. But latter, resistance movements will overthrow aliens and rob technology and go mad.

Smart aliens don't let their livestock run around with guns, babe. They'd be sure to strip us of our intelligence. A few holes in the skull can do some real magic.

True that. Or just take a few human babies and let them grow up without the rest of human society. It would only take one generation to not be educated to forget all the technology we've discovered. Then take those uneducated humans, let them have more humans and there you go. Technology really is fragile.

[Cthag-antil]

I don't doubt that there is alien life, only that it is as sentient, intelligent and advanced as we are. Hell, it could be algae for all we know.

Certainly algae-like life forms live on other worlds...life forms that fill a similar niche in the ecology.

On other worlds with trees or at least tree analogues you might even find brachiating aliens that look remarkably like simians or apes.

The genes simply produce a best fit fill for the mould offered by an ecology...convergent evolution happens on earth too...the tenrec shrew and eurasian shrew are good examples.
Tenrecs are taxonomically related to elephants and hyraxes unlike true Eurasian 'shrews'.
But both look the same because they share a similar mode of life...they had evolved into the same ecological niches..hunting insects and other small animals.

[Idealismania]

I just couldn't imagine a species that masters interstellar travel to be war like. I mean the cooperation within a species to develop the technology needed to travel those distances has to be so great I couldn't imagine an agressive or war-like species accomplishing it. Why do you think we've only been to the moon? And look how long we've been around.

Because while we spent time figuring out way's to destroy our selves the alien races spent time fighting other alien's while working together in there home planet or system.

So an agressive, war-like species decided one day to unite to develop the unimaginable technology it would take to travel to distant stars and galaxys to conquer other species? Doesn't sound like something a war-like species would be able to do. That would be like every gang in the USA deciding they were going to unite so they could develop advanced weapons to take over the world. Probably wouldn't happen.

[The Vuhifellian States]

Religion would literally go bunk. It makes you wonder sometimes if there really is life out there and the governments just don't tell us because they're all chicken turkey of the effects such a discovery would have on religion, education, even their illusion of control over a country.

Last time I checked the Vatican actually created a contingency plan in case of First Contact. Say what you will about the Catholic Church but holy damn are they prepared.

And back to the original question; if they're less advanced, destroy them; If they're the same level, study them; if they're more advanced, stay well away from them until we can either produce defenses against them or develop adequate weapon systems. If first contact's taught us anything here on Earth, it's that opposing cultures are always going to go apeshit and try to annihilate each other.

[Great Nepal]

Why? If they are hostile, they will invade and most likely occupy earth for few decades. But latter, resistance movements will overthrow aliens and rob technology and go mad.

Smart aliens don't let their livestock run around with guns, babe. They'd be sure to strip us of our intelligence... A few holes in the skull can do some real magic.

Catching billions of people and putting hole through their skull, especially when they are actively hiding? Not really easy.

---

It would be a simple matter to exterminate 99.999% humans with viral biological weaponry...not one soldier would be required.

No, not really... We have developed masks and we will develop vaccine long before most humans are exterminated. And anyway, they are more likely to simply use humans as slave labor.

If aliens wanted us dead...we would be dead, resistance would be utterly futile...imagine landing on an island inhabited by a small village of stone age egalitarians, armed with an AK47 you would massacre them all without breaking a sweat.

No, local villagers will not simply stand in line as we land. They will make a run for local caves, hiding place etc - from where they will conduct resistance movement.
But, more important question is - why wont we simply establish our facilities and employ locals as slave labor rather than bringing people from hundreds of light years away?

[Zathganastan]

Because while we spent time figuring out way's to destroy our selves the alien races spent time fighting other alien's while working together in there home planet or system.

So an agressive, war-like species decided one day to unite to develop the unimaginable technology it would take to travel to distant stars and galaxys to conquer other species? Doesn't sound like something a war-like species would be able to do. That would be like every gang in the USA deciding they were going to unite so they could develop advanced weapons to take over the world. Probably wouldn't happen.

Yes while they are war like they don't fight each other they fight other's with technology they want.And the aliens wouldn't be small groups scattered around a part of the planet they would be the masters of there planet capable of invading other planets.Like for instance during world war 2 Germany came very close to taking over the world and had the most advanced weapons of the day.Another example would be humanity discovering an unadvanced alien race on a planet with a valuable resource that the locals wouldn't be happy to share.

[The Alma Mater]

We would have to ask the Pope if the aliens are more Uniquely Chosen in Gods eye than we are

[AiliailiA]

I don't doubt that there is alien life, only that it is as sentient, intelligent and advanced as we are. Hell, it could be algae for all we know.

Certainly algae-like life forms live on other worlds...life forms that fill a similar niche in the ecology.

On other worlds with trees or at least tree analogues you might even find brachiating aliens that look remarkably like simians or apes.

The genes simply produce a best fit fill for the mould offered by an ecology...convergent evolution happens on earth too...the tenrec shrew and eurasian shrew are good examples.
Tenrecs are taxonomically related to elephants and hyraxes unlike true Eurasian 'shrews'.
But both look the same because they share a similar mode of life...they had evolved into the same ecological niches..hunting insects and other small animals.

Oh yeah? Well if evolution is so smart how come it didn't invent the wheel?

Don't talk to me about tumbleweeds. No axle, it's not a wheel.

[Zathganastan]

We would have to ask the Pope if the aliens are more Uniquely Chosen in Gods eye than we are

God banished humanity to this hell hole we can earth because eve decided to eat an apple what do you think.

[The Alma Mater]

Certainly algae-like life forms live on other worlds...life forms that fill a similar niche in the ecology.

On other worlds with trees or at least tree analogues you might even find brachiating aliens that look remarkably like simians or apes.

The genes simply produce a best fit fill for the mould offered by an ecology...convergent evolution happens on earth too...the tenrec shrew and eurasian shrew are good examples.
Tenrecs are taxonomically related to elephants and hyraxes unlike true Eurasian 'shrews'.
But both look the same because they share a similar mode of life...they had evolved into the same ecological niches..hunting insects and other small animals.

Oh yeah? Well if evolution is so smart how come it didn't invent the wheel?

How do you know the aliens SETI will discover in the OPS scenario are not all wheelers ?

[Eaglleia]

Well, I think the world would be divided in half honestly. You'd have all these nerds and geeks out there (like me ) who would just absolutely go INSANE with awe and ecstasy.

Then you'd have a scenario much like that in the book Saucer by Stephen Coonts. Religion would literally go bunk. It makes you wonder sometimes if there really is life out there and the governments just don't tell us because they're all chicken turkey of the effects such a discovery would have on religion, education, even their illusion of control over a country.

At least, that's just my opinion.

As Orson Welles once broadcasted, "With infinite complacence people went to and fro over the Earth about their little affairs, serene in the assurance of their dominion over this small spinning fragment of solar drift-wood which, by chance or design, man has inherited out of the dark mystery of Time and Space."

Why, exactly would "Religion go bunk"?